Page 84 of Monstrous Travels as Wicked as Sin

Percy watched him lean against the window, coveting the thick thighs, the shapely calves, the curve of his beautiful ass. “No morning sex?”

Joe shifted his weight, every gorgeous muscle flexing in the afternoon sunlight. “We need to talk. About Moxie.”

“Can’t it wait?”

Joe pulled his eyes from the scenery to argue that no, it was quite vital he tell Percy all details in full at once. But then Percy leaned an arm behind his head and kicked the blanket down. Reclining on the mass of pillows, one leg bent, every inch of himon display, there could never have been a more beautiful frame for the artwork that was Percy Ashdown’s dick.

“We should talk…” Joe attempted.

“Then talk,” said Percy, wrapping his fingers around his cock. He gave it such a compelling stroke, drinking Joe in as he did, that Joe found his conundrum was suddenly far less pressing. In fact, he was quite sure he could spare another hour. Or two. And after all, it’s very hard for a man to talk when his mouth is that full…

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

THE UNAPPETISING TRUTH

Percy kept Joe busy until well into the evening, when the two were required to dress for dinner. Joe kept his good humour, forcefully, while the kitten followed Percy from room to room, sat on the vanity and stared at him as he showered and shaved, and purred against his legs with every other step he took. The thing ingratiated itself with a seemingly artless love that soothed every one of Percy’s recently frayed nerves, and by the time he dropped her into his coat pocket to bring her along to dinner, Joe had developed serious regrets about having let the situation get so far.

He had eventually decided to gamble on the hope that the etiquette demands of an elegant and crowded restaurant would keep Percy’s temper under wraps when he delivered the news. But then he knew Percy, and a light sweat prickled at the back of his neck at the thought of the coming conversation.

Leo and Althea arrived at the table shortly after Percy and Joe had. Leo was dressed in a grey suit jacket, navy shirt, black slacks, and looked every part the gentleman Percy had so carefully curated. Althea wore an excruciatingly bright dress, too long and too wide, some kind of fuchsia and fire-engine red combination which, to Percy, was worse than the tears of bloodhe’d cried the day before. Joe kicked his foot when he saw ‘the look’ descend, and Percy said, “Happy birthday, Althea. You look gorgeous.”

The ice between them was effectively broken, though Althea remained wary until he slid his chair across to hers and produced Moxie, secreting the kitten between them. Althea’s loud gasps of adoration very nearly sunk the whole charade, but it wasn’t long until Moxie was stowed under the table, happily devouring the tuna tartare Percy had ordered for her, sans garlic, onion, herbs, citrus, oil and vinegar.

After a time, all pleasantries having been dispatched, entrees being finished, mains just delivered, Joe lowered his voice, trying to avoid his words reaching the kitten’s sharp ears while she ripped apart her ‘rare as rare comes’ steak. “We need to talk about what happened yesterday, and what happens next.”

“Next?” asked Percy, the spark of battle flaring in his eyes. “You said it was gone.”

Joe nodded, swift and reluctant. “Uh. I said… I think I said it won’t be a problem anymore.”

Percy’s fingers wrapped tight around Joe’s and his voice dropped to concerned intimacy. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. Yes. Very okay.” He squeezed Percy’s hand, though it did nothing to shift the line of worry he’d created. “Very, very much better. And we’re safe now.” His eyes sought Althea’s. “All of us. I’m sure of it. And I need you to know that, while the—the thing that was in me was, andis, very dangerous, it won’t hurt any of us.”

“I’ve been thinking about this,” said Percy. “It must have gone somewhere. Some poor bastard in London is almost certainly walking around possessed, and I think we need to start checking the papers for any leads.”

Leo pulled out his little notebook and commenced scrawling. “Ritualistic murders, cannibalism, that sort of thing?”

“Precisely,” said Percy. “The evil prick. There’s no way I’m letting it get away with this.” The kitten jumped back onto Percy’s thighs, pink tongue lapping at her whiskers, and Percy stroked her coat. “When I get my hands on it, I’m going to strangle the life out of it.” He then, caution to the wind, picked Moxie up and kissed her ear before setting her down on his legs and putting her paws on the table. “Look. She thinks she’s people.”

Althea and Leo made approving comments, but Joe’s face remained flat. “Percy, I think you need to try to move past your anger with the being, as quickly as possible, because?—”

“I’ll murder it,” he said, stroking Moxie’s whiskers. “I’ll force it into corporeal form, and when I do, I’ll rip its head off with my bare hands.” A small cheer went up around the table from all but Joe, while Moxie raised her chin to enjoy Percy’s soft scratches.

For Althea and Leo’s sake, Joe revealed, “It was—is—a familiar.” He kept his gaze on the kitten, whose green eyes watched him with interest. “It’s Molly Tulloch’s familiar.”

“What?” asked Althea. “Like a witch’s cat?”

Joe’s mouth pulled into a hard line. “Exactly like that.”

“I didn’t know familiars could jump bodies until yesterday,” said Percy. “It explains the magic, though. And the sickness.”

“And why it wanted to get back to Molly,” Leo suggested.

“And why it was so pissed off when I said I was going to kill her,” Percy muttered. “That has to be an intense bond.”

“That’s exactly it.” Joe latched onto the shift in conversation. “I need to tell you… In this situation… It’s a bit unusual…” He gave a small tilt of his head and a shrug. “It’s in love with her.”

No one made any response, least of all Percy, as they all let this latest intelligence mingle with their memories of the last few days.

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